Phases of Sunset, The
by JeNnDyLyOn
Summary: Casting spells is one thing. Surviving as a teenager in a different dimension is another. But for a certain fiery-maned unicorn humbled by defeat, the fragile journey to forgiveness will prove to be her most difficult challenge yet. From her beginnings as a misguided filly to her final quest for redemption, dare to trot in the horseshoes of "the pony Equestria forgot".
1. Shimmer Files 2709 - 2721

_My Little Pony/My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic/My Little Pony: Equestria Girls_ ©Hasbro

All characters (unless stated otherwise) © Hasbro

I don't own anything _My Little Pony_ or Hasbro-related. I'm just a gal who wanted to write an adventure based on this great show!

Written by JeNnDyLyOn aka J. Dilbert

Cover Art by jamescorck (DeviantArt)

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Writer's Blurbs:

_ Special thanks to the millions of bronies and pegasisters who helped shape such a wonderful community of creative minds and beautiful spirits._

JeNnDyLyOn_ here and welcome to my story, _**My Little Pony: The Phases of Sunset.**

_ Like many of you, I had my doubts about the pony known as Sunset Shimmer in the beginning. She just seemed like a regular bully character to me. But that was before I watched _Equestria Girls _and though her onscreen time was short, that just kept me yearning to know more about her. I bought the comics she was featured or even mentioned in to get a better glimpse of her story. What was she like before rebelling against her mentor? What sort of odds did she face after running away into another dimension and becoming a teenage girl? Is she interested in redeeming herself? Will she ever see her homeland of Equestria again?_

_ These are all questions I've longed to have answered and yet, the material out there surrounding this character is as obscure as her history. So I started digging deeper into Sunset Shimmer's character and thanks to some music and a little extra time, my mind started to swim in a sea of ideas for her that could've been. As the most underrated character in the _My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic_ series, Sunset deserves a little love._

_Whether you're a fan of Sunset Shimmer or not, I challenge you to take a step closer and explore the world of a rebel who struggles to understand things we take for granted._

_With that, I'd like to thank you for your interest and giving this tale a chance! Now, without further ado, I present..._

**My Little Pony**

_**The Phases of Sunset**_

Written by JeNnDyLyOn aka Jennifer Dilbert

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_For my best friend Taran -_

_Our friendship truly was magical._

_Until we meet again._

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**~ Shimmer Files #2709 - #2721 ~**

**S-File #2709**

Almost midnight and the coast is clear.

Hard to believe it's only been a couple of years since I left Equestria. Between learning how to walk on two legs and struggling to get by without my powers, I feel like I've lived in this strange world forever. I guess it doesn't matter now. Just a few more minutes and the portal home will open again.

This is all Celestia's fault.

All she had to do was make me into a princess and things would've been fine. Maybe even more than fine. So I got a little overambitious, big deal! You'd think that aiming for the cosmos would've been something the ruler of Equestria encouraged. Rather than appreciate my powerful abilities, she pushed me away and wound up replacing me with somepony else apparently.

Pft! What's so special about this newbie anyway? What does she have that Celestia never saw in me first? I wonder if my ex-teacher even bothered to tell her new student about me at all.

Shouldn't be much longer now. The moon hasn't even reached its full peak yet and the portal's already starting to ripple.

Trying to be brave. A long time has passed since I've used magic, not to mention trotted on four legs.

Has Celestia kept track of how long I've been gone? What if her useless guards are already under orders to capture me once I arrive? Whatever happens, I'm ready. I didn't memorize volumes of spell books as a filly for nothing.

Can't wait to have my horn back! If it hasn't lost its touch, I should be able to detect the crown's energy and find its exact location. I can't mess this up.

Midnight! Finally!

Well, it's been fun and annoying, being a teenage girl and all. Time to head home and finish what I started.

See you on the other side!

* * *

**S-File #2710**

Curses!

Well, I lied. Look who's back, after an unsuccessful mission.

I guess that's not entirely true. Though my return to Equestria was cut short, I still managed to escape with the crown.

I just wish I hadn't tripped and woken everypony up! My original plan was to stay there for a while longer. But with the whole castle on my tail, I had no choice but to get out of there.

Speaking of which, what did Celestia do to the place?! I didn't even recognize it at first! Though mediocre at best, Canterlot Tower was fine before. Now it's all made of crystal and to be honest, pretty ugly. I think Celestia's lost it. Fortunately for my eyes, I was in and out with the crown within an hour.

Not before I got jumped by some princess though! Can you believe that? Not very ladylike, if you ask me. To leave her crown sitting out in the open like that, she doesn't seem to be too bright either. I mean, it's not like it's embedded with the Element of Magic, or anything!

Bravo, Celestia. You got yourself a real winner.

Strange (yet not surprising) that there were hardly any guards around. You'd think that after finding me in the Forbidden Section of her library years ago, she'd have learned a thing or two about how to protect her own palace. Did they really think a baby dragon would be enough? Obviously not! I'm not even scared of dragons, let alone infant ones!

This may sound a little weird, but it's almost like Celestia planned for this to happen. Do her stupid "lessons" go so far as to forsaking the Element of Magic and possibly endangering not just one world, but two?

Anyway, when I returned and finally came to, I didn't see the crown anywhere so I freaked out. I thought maybe it got lost in the warp somehow, 'til I saw that weakling Fluttershy walking away with it!

Why doesn't that girl ever mind her own business? If she had just left it alone, I would've grabbed it and taken over this place before First Bell! Grrrrr! Now I gotta wait til after class to confront that pathetic, stray animal-loving pinhead and give her a piece of my mind.

Well, I've got to cut this short. Ms. Cherilee's looking. What's up with her? She always looks like she hates life.

Oops, here she comes! G2G!

* * *

**S-File #2711**

I ran into Flutter$#!% and you're not going to believe this!

She gave the crown to that wench Principal Celestia!

Seriously! Does she even realize what she did? Obviously not, but - ugh!

This ruins everything! Now that the principal has it, I have to go through this whole Fall Formal Princess ceremony again just to get it back! That's two days away! Oh well. If I can wait over two years for this moment, then a couple of days are nothing.

Besides, it's not like anyone's running against me. I think the girls around here are smarter than that. That is, unless they want to end up like that drama queen Rarity.

Oh yeah! So, something interesting happened. As I was giving Stuttershy a piece of my mind, some new girl actually had the nerve to get in my face.

Ha! She obviously doesn't know who I am. No one talks to me like that around here and it's just a matter of time before she figures that out.

Still, there was something very familiar about this girl. She almost looked like – nah, it couldn't be.

* * *

**S-File #2712**

Finally had some time to read this copy of _Equestria Daily_ that I found lying around during my little visit back home. Figured catching up on the "local" happenings would be beneficial.

A lot sure has happened during the two years I was gone.

So the Crystal Empire's curse finally lifted, huh? I guess that explains the hideous crystalline décor I saw earlier. It was like having mirrors all around you! Unless you were as beautiful as I was (and still am, despite being human now), who would want that? That Princess Me Armor Caddy-whatever must be pretty full of herself. What a vain pony.

Now that I think about it, something's been bothering me since I got back. When I first left Equestria, the portal mirror that brought me here was located in Canterlot Castle. But if that really was the Crystal Empire I was in last time, that means Celestia had the mirror transported. Why would she do that? It doesn't make any sense. Maybe she got tired of looking at her uggo face. I know I did.

Moving on. Looks like some kind of event was supposed to happen. Something called the "Princess Summit"? Of course, Celestia was going to be there (gag). But I didn't expect that her sister Princess Luna would be, too!

I guess the two sisters finally let bygones be bygones, which I just don't get. I was an only filly so I don't know what it's like to have siblings. But if I had a sister and she banished me to the moon for ONE THOUSAND YEARS, forgiving her would the very last thing I would do! So ridiculous.

Flashy homes and millennial grudges aside, the most interesting thing I got from the paper was the name of that pony I "met" in Equestria.

Twilight Sparkle.

Though it was pretty dark in the castle, I know that she's the rabid princess who attacked me. But I don't remember hearing that name before back when I studied in Canterlot. So why is it that she's royalty all of a sudden? She looks like a real tool. Even has a name similar to mine. Her parents must've been fans.

I'd hate to be in Twilight's horseshoes once Celestia finds out her new precious princess lost an Element of Harmony.  


* * *

**S-File #2713**

Just finished lunch. PB & banana sandwiches again :) Yummy! Thanks, "Mom"!

Still waiting for those two blockheads Snips and Snails to get here. They're taking forever! We're going to check out the Formal's preparations so far. If I'm going to go through this again, everything had better be perfect!

With Pinkie Pie on decorations, I guess it'll be okay, though I hate her strange obsession with balloons. All that static will ruin my hair!

I did hear that Applejack's in charge of the refreshments. I swear, if she brought that Fizzy Apple Cider again, I'm going to lose it!

Between you and me, I never actually tried her cider. But Turquesa hated it so I thought I should too. Is that bad?

Oh well! Too late to change now.

Snips and Snails just got here. Took them long enough!

Gotta run!

* * *

**S-File #2714**

Holy Chrysalis! You-Are-Not-Going-To-Believe-This. Remember that girl I told you about who had the gall to say something to me earlier? Guess who she is?

Twilight Sparkle! Yes, that Twilight Sparkle!

When I went to check on the Formal's setup (which was absolutely horrific, by the way), I found out that someone else signed up to compete for my crown! Or should I say somepony. As soon I saw that terrible handwriting on the sign-up sheet, I experienced...hmm, the humans here have a term for it but it's slipped my mind. Deja vu! That's it! I remembered the first time I tried to write when I arrived here and how awful it looked (although I'd have to say that my handwriting looked a lot better than Twilight's). Right away, I knew that whoever this "girl" was couldn't have been from around here...

...and as usual, I was right. I KNEW she looked familiar!

I felt it was time to have another little…chat with her, so I had an anonymous note delivered to her in class. We met in the West Wing and check this out! She tried to get smart with me, so I asked her a very simple question that anypony who studied at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns should know:

"What happens when you bring an Element of Harmony into an alternate world?"

Now here comes the best part! Guess what Twilight's answer was?

Exactly! She didn't say ANYTHING!

Haha! Talk about the sorriest excuse for a unicorn I've ever met!

Seriously, Celestia? After I left, THIS was the best you could do? Wow, just wow. I feel like I should be hurt, maybe even a little insulted. But I'm really not. After all, I told her that she'd regret her decision to drop me as her protégé. She should've realized that nopony else could ever fill my horseshoes.

I knew Celestia wouldn't allow such a powerful force like the Element of Magic to go missing for very long. What I didn't expect was for her to send a rookie like Twilight into another dimension instead of coming here herself to get it! What a coward! Is she that afraid of confronting me? I guess nothing's changed over the last thirty moons. Typical Celestia, sending others to do her dirty work. Am I ever glad that I got outta there before she tried to pull that trick on me.

I hate games. I really do. But if this is how Celestia wants to play, then fine.

As of right now, Twilight has less than three days to get the crown back before the portal to Equestria closes again for another thirty moons. Too bad she's caught in the middle of this vendetta.

Nothing personal, Twilight. There's just no way I'm going to allow you to take what's rightfully mine.

* * *

**S-File #2715**

Finished putting the final touches on the video! Time to upload.

10% completed.

For a couple of dimwits, Snips and Snails did a pretty good job getting me this embarrassing footage of Twilight. No way I looked this bad when I first arrived here and became human. I can't stop laughing! Was she seriously trying to eat a book? No wonder she doesn't know anything.

50%.

Speaking of eating, my stomach's growling. Got so wrapped up in this video that I forgot to have supper. I'll grab something when I'm through. A cucumber salad with sun-dried tomato bits and a glass of lemonade would really hit the spot right now.

100% completed!

Finally. This will show that goody four-horseshoes Twilight! Good thing I kept that list of email subscribers to the school paper I worked on. Just a couple of clicks away from insuring my title of Fall Formal Princess. Once everyone sees this, Twilight won't be able to show her stupid face around the school again!

Dinner is served. Can't wait for the dessert.

* * *

**S-File #2716**

Success!

At least, for a little while. Had a real close call after Vice Principal Luna got wind of the video. She told me to take it down or else I risk getting disqualified. Whatever. What does she know about being a princess, let alone politics? Besides, it's not like all of Canterlot High hasn't seen the video already.

I gotta say. Twilight is very odd.

If everyone's laughing and making jokes about you, it makes sense for you to just pack up and leave, right? Nope, not for Twilight! In fact, she's still here and insists on continuing to make a total fool of herself! Last I saw her, the "princess" was out on the field, royally failing at playing soccer. Haha! Get it?

Anyway, what is Twilight up to? Why is she wasting precious time kicking a ball around when the portal to Equestria is closing tomorrow? Does she honestly think that learning how to play sports is going to clear her name and win her the crown somehow? I don't get it. If you ask me, I think she's just hungry for attention.

There's something else. Twilight wasn't out there playing soccer alone. That cocky Rainbow Dash was there and her supposed "four-mer" friends, too – Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.

Grrr! After all the trouble I went through in splitting them up, I thought the High Five's silly little "friendship" was finished. How were they able to patch things up so fast? Is it because of Twilight?

I've got to keep those girls separated. Can't risk them coming together again and becoming more popular than me. More importantly, I can't have the Elements connected in any way, not with the crown so close by.

As for Twilight, I don't think there's much to worry about anymore. At the rate she's going, she's totally done for.

* * *

**S-File #2717**

I think I'll start writing my Fall Formal acceptance speech now. Since it'll be my last, it's gotta be really good. But there's so much noise happening down the hall, I can't concentrate!

Snips just texted me and the commotion is coming from the cafeteria.

What?! Twilight and the High Five are there?!

Gotta go!

* * *

**S-File #2718**

This can't be happening!

Not only has Twilight brought the High Five back together, she's rallied the entire school!

I'm so confused right now. I thought the High Five hated each other. I thought everyone hated each other! What's Twilight's deal? Is she trying to turn Canterlot High against me in the process? Why would she do that? That's so...mean!

You should've seen how ridiculous they all looked – singing and dancing in the cafeteria like a bunch of howling hyenas. I mean, when did those girls even have the time to organize something like that? Where they found those ugly pony ears and tails, I'd really like to know! I thought I told Snips and Snails to trash them all last year! I swear, those two can be so worthless sometimes.

And where was Vice Principal Luna during all this? Twilight and those girls must've broken like, fourteen different rules!

Wait a second…Vice Principal Luna…Hmm!

Seems like I've got a few more tricks up my sleeves and unlike Twilight, I've been wearing them a lot longer.

* * *

**S-File #2719**

Just got back from the VP's office.

Twilight's in for a real treat. With her flocking the students like sheep and the Formal just around the corner, I had to think fast. If this plan doesn't work, nothing will. As the school disciplinarian, Luna won't take something like vandalism very lightly.

I think Snips and Snails may have gone a little overboard though. All I told them was to make a "quick little mess" that I can link to Twilight so she'd get disqualified somehow. But I didn't think they'd go as far as trying to ruin the Formal itself! Streamers torn, tables turned over, food and drinks smashed to bits, balloons popped (thankfully) – it was a total wreck!

You should've seen me. I was so steamed at those two rejects! What possessed their puny little minds to do that?! I still had a coronation to go through and my crown to win! I was ready to tear those boys apart…'til I saw the pictures.

Remember how Twilight was playing soccer earlier? Well, Snips and Snails were on standby capturing the whole thing. They also took pictures of the damage they caused and after working a little "magic" of their own, created photo "evidence" that showed Twilight as the one responsible for destroying the decorations instead.

It's no SnapShop but with the clock ticking, it'll have to do. If that purple-haired twit is connected to the crime, then I guess it doesn't really matter if the Formal happens or not. Then after she's disqualified, the school will have no choice but to hand the crown over to me by default. A little sad that I won't have a coronation, but I can do without the glitz and glamour, so long as I get what I want.

Saw Flash Sentry hanging around outside Luna's office though. I wonder what that was all about. He always was a nosy guy, especially when we "dated".

Everyone likes to blame me for us splitting up. This may sound weird, but sometimes I wish people knew the whole story. Not that I'd ever tell them though.

Afternoon announcements are airing now. Looking forward to hearing the news of Twilight being officially expelled.

* * *

**S-File #2720**

VERY BAD NEWS!

What is going on?!

Twilight's still in the running! Even worse, they're pushing the Formal back to tomorrow night!

Ugh! This princess is turning out to be a real royal pain! How did she not get disqualified? Those pictures were so convincing! It doesn't make any sense! Did Flash have something to do with it? No, he couldn't have...unless he saw the cutouts in the trash. But that's a big stretch. Unless he was hungry, why would he be digging through the garbage? That's just gross!

I can't let this happen. Since they're not going to give the crown to me, the Formal has got to go on as planned! It's the last day and if I don't get the Element of Magic before the portal to Equestria closes again, I'll be stuck here for another two years.

No way! I've got to try and fix things! But those two idiots caused so much damage…there's no way I can get everything back together by tonight.

I'm worried. What am I going to do?

Maybe if I had some help…?

* * *

**S-File #2721**

This may be the last time I write in here.

Despite everything, I'm pretty relieved to say that the Formal's still happening tonight. I can't believe how close it came to being cancelled. As much as I hate to give them any iota of credit for anything, it wouldn't be happening if it weren't for Twilight and the High Five.

It's not like I didn't try to fix things first myself!

After school, I dragged Snips and Snails to the gym so they can clean up that psychotic mess they made. But when we got there, somepony else had already stolen my idea. Far be it for me to lift a finger and help when everyone seemed to have the situation well under control.

Besides, I had my nails done earlier! Not like it matters anymore anyway…

It's funny. Before, I was really looking forward to going to my final Formal. Had a very pretty dress picked out and everything. I worked really hard on my speech, too. But there's no point in going through with the Princess thing now. I already know I'm not going to win. The school's totally behind Twilight and altering the votes now would be impossible.

This may sound strange but Twilight obviously brought some kind of power over from Equestria. How is that possible? I know everything there is to know about magic, true magic. While it doesn't even exist in this human world, I can't think of any other explanation. I mean, how else could Twilight have accomplished so much in so little time?

Whatever. I don't need stupid polls or silly competitions to get what I want. Nothing's going to come between me and my magic.

Snips and Snails are on their way to fetch Twilight's precious mutt so I can lure her out. That should get her attention. I feel bad doing it though. The fleabag's cute. He kind of reminds me of the one I used to have.

To show Twilight just how serious I am, I think I'll take this sledgehammer with me for good measure. Can't wait to see the look on her purple face once I threaten to smash her one-way ticket back home into pieces. Not that I'd ever actually do that. Celestia still has to pay for all the pain she caused me.

A little over an hour til the portal closes again. Tonight, my years of embarrassment will end. No matter what, I will get that crown. Once I tap into its magic, no one and nopony will ever question who the true princess is again.

Gotta admit, I don't really know what'll happen once I activate the crown. I'm sure I can handle it though. If Twilight can control the Element of Magic, why can't I?

Snips just texted me. The Princess of the Fall Formal is about to be announced.

Time to move into position. Enjoy the evening while it lasts, Twilight.

See you on the other side.

Yours royally,

Princess Sunset Shimmer


	2. Prologue

**My Little Pony**

_**The Phases of Sunset**_

Written by JeNnDyLyOn aka Jennifer Dilbert

* * *

**Prologue**

Canterlot High Fall Formal

Night of the Final Day

- Minutes Remaining: Unknown -

* * *

Though the midnight hour unraveled its curtain steadily upon the Fall Formal, the hustle and bustle of the vibrant celebration remained in full swing! Melody and song lifted the spirits of students and teachers alike, while refreshments quenched holler-hoarse throats and filled tickled bellies. Decorations glinting of color and light swayed to and fro, as if brought to life by the air of jovial energy itself. Despite a few mishaps, everyone was still certain of one thing: if magic ever existed anywhere that night, it was there at Canterlot High School.

Graceful as she was just, Principal Celestia dodged pirouetting pupils and sashaying chaperones with ease as she made her way across the confetti'd dance floor. The shining embodiment of Canterlot High's leadership and strength, Celestia surveyed her students and peers who, in the veil of their festive bliss, were blind to the concern glimmering within their principal's amethystine eyes.

Before anyone could spot it, the worry lining the principal's face lifted when a familiar golden hue appeared amidst the sea of swaying students. Like a moth to a flame, Celestia honed in on the fiery hairdo, her mauve-lipped frown curling into a relaxed smile as she approached her target from behind.

"There you are!" she exhaled with relief. "We've been looking everywhere for you, Su-"

But when the student turned around, the elated balloon within the principal's heart burst.

"Oh," Celestia deflated, lifting her hand from the child's shoulder. "M-Miss Spitfire…"

"Heeey, Principal Celestia!" greeted the sunny-haired student over the celebratory hullabaloo. "What's up! Everything okay?"

"Yes," her principal lied. "I'm sorry. I thought you were—"

"_Whaaaaat!_ I can't hear you!"

"I thought you were somebody else!"

"Oh! No worries! Who are you looking for anyway!"

Celestia parted her lips to reply but at the peak of her inhale, remembered with a start that she could not say. Elegantly, she froze, trying with all her might not to look suspicious until,

"Whoohoo!" cheered Spitfire's dark-haired date, his cheeks puffed with pastry. "Gwreat pawrty, Pwrinshipawl Shee! (gulp) WAY better than last year's Fall Formal!"

Had it been any other occasion, such an interruption would have miffed the principal greatly. But in this case, she was beyond grateful for one of Soarin's habitual outbursts. Tugged by more pressing matters, Celestia nodded at the pair and turned to depart.

"Yeah!" she heard the orange-banged captain of the Wondercolts beam. "Especially the part when those holographic monsters appeared! That was impressive!"

"That was no hologram!" Soarin snapped before taking another bite of his sweet. "I shaw it wiffth mawy own eyesh!"

Frozen in place, Celestia's heart sank as she listened to the situation at hand worsen.

"Come on!" Spitfire groaned, dodging a shower of crumbs. "Demons at Canterlot High? No way! Probably just testing out some effects for Nightmare Nights this year!"

"So I guess you want me to believe that that big crater in front of the school is gonna be used for a graveyard then, right?" Soarin rolled his eyes, jabbing the last bit of pie at Spitfire's dress. "And everyone pretending to be zombies was just practice or somethin'?"

"Duh! Tell him, Principal Celestia!"

Always quick to regain her composure, Celestia turned and replied,

"Now, students, you know there's no such thing as—"

"Apple pie!" the blue-haired boy exclaimed as he plowed through a group of angry break-dancers, waving after the elusive dessert tray.

"Whoa, Soarin!" Spitfire shouted, in hot pursuit of her sweet-toothed teammate. "Hold your horses!"

Though the kaleidoscope of lights did well to illuminate her revered smile, Celestia welcomed the sporadic darkness that belied her panic in between. Despite her secret predicament, this was a special night and to impose yet another plight upon those who merely wished to forget and dance their own away would be selfish indeed. But as hard as she tried to conceal her crisis, not everyone was misled by her calm camouflage.

Weaving through the pulsing maze of merrymakers, the secretly-troubled principal froze as the sudden feeling of being watched fell upon her. Not from the cheerful acknowledgment of a couple twirling by or the annoyed leers of a conga line blocked by her still form. This mysterious voyeur held purpose, intensity and a strange yet lovely intimacy that was almost divine. Not long after she felt it did the sensation lead her attention to the entrance of the revelry-renovated gymnasium, graced by the familiar silhouette of her young sister, Canterlot High's Vice Principal Luna.

Never one to immerse herself in such a raucous racket, the sapphire-haired authoritarian beckoned Celestia with a nod. After shouting a command to a teacher moonwalking nearby, the pastel-permed principal then gently pushed her way through the dense forest of dazzling dancers toward the departing shadow of her sibling.

Normally aglow with decorated praise and lemon-polished pride, the sunny decor of Celestia's office offered little comfort to the pair of perturbed principals. No light, save for the serrated moonlight pouring through a solitary window, lit their troubled expressions.

Just as night is to day, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were two sides of the same coin and it was this harmonious leadership the many inhabitants of Canterlot High looked to for balance and stability.

For what seemed like an eternity, the two sisters sat in deafening silence, each waiting painfully for the other to utter the first word.

In the end, it was the eldest who spoke first.

"Everyone seems to be…enjoying themselves."

"This is a Fall Formal that no one will ever forget," the youngest sister replied, her response unintentionally inviting a stare from the other.

"To say the least," Luna coughed.

"Please tell me you have good news, Luna." Celestia pleaded.

"I am afraid there is still no sign of her, my sister."

"Perhaps she already went home?"

"Perhaps, though it is highly doubtful. She dwells far from here, a couple of miles, at least. The guards posted at the school's entrances have been instructed specifically to be on the lookout for her as well as anything suspicious. So far, they have nothing to report."

"She could've gotten a ride with someone. Another student, maybe?"

"Considering the…circumstances, I must admit that is also unlikely."

Celestia shook her head softly, trying to arouse any lingering possibilities from her mind.

"And you've already tried reaching her..."

"I have," the vice principal answered, hopelessly inspecting her cellphone for a missed call or message of any sort. "Eight times, to be precise. I attempted all means of immediate contact. The result, unfortunately, was the same."

"This is terrible," the aurora-haired principal whispered as she bowed her head over folded hands.

Again, the two sisters sat in silence until,

"The other students," Principal Celestia continued. "Are they all right?"

"Why, yes, surprisingly. They were a little shaken up at first, as you can imagine. But once the festivities resumed, their worries melted away and gave way to merriment rather quickly."

"For them at least," the oldest whispered, the faint yet highly rare hint of nervousness upon her breath.

"If I may, Celestia," the cerulean-curled sister began, leaning forward steadily. "Perhaps…now would be a good time to initiate Code Ember."

"No!" roared Celestia.

Shattering the peace, Celestia's fist crashed down upon the desk while Luna, stunned, gazed at her crumbling sibling in shock. For her sister to betray her warm and gentle nature in such a manner was painful to behold. Disturbed by her own outburst, Celestia caught the alarm in the vice principal's teal eyes and assured her with a softer glance.

"That is our last resort," the principal continued shakily. "In the case of a missing child from school grounds, we must follow proper procedure. The staff has already been notified, yes?"

"Teachers, faculty, I have alerted everyone," Luna regained calmly. "As for the students, I was more discreet with my approach. Rousing a panic among them would have been unwise, if not disastrous. Treading softly, however, was unnecessary."

"I really wish you would stop talking like that," Celestia managed to joke mildly.

"My apologies," the vice principal blushed. "I mean, I am sorry."

"And contractions, Luna, learn to use them. Anyway, what do you mean by 'treading softly was unnecessary'?"

"The students were already pretty vocal. Her…'actions' left an ill impression upon them, as you can imagine. Not that such feelings are unmerited, but it is almost as if…,"

Celestia held her gaze firmly in anticipation.

"…as if they do not care." Luna finished.

"Nonsense," Principal Celestia dismissed. "The bottom line is that a student is missing and we have to find her, regardless of what she—"

A shiver crawled up Celestia's spine and held her tongue.

"I am with you," Luna consoled, uncurling her sister's clenched fingers into her own. "But without the cooperation of the students and our avenues of options running thin, you know as well as I that commencement of the Code is inevitable."

For the first time in her entire career as principal, Celestia was worried. Never before had she been faced with a situation so dire and though she knew the words of her sister rang true, struggling against their weight felt easier.

"I could try the intercom again." Luna proposed, scratching her chin pensively. "The possibility that she did not hear my earlier attempts is still plausible."

"Great idea!" breathed Celestia, elated that another option aside from the most difficult was still left to them. "Though I think it'd be best if I do it this time."

Celestia's suggestion raised one of her sister's eyebrows.

"You find my efforts to be unsatisfactory?" questioned the vice principal.

"It's not that. It's just that-well, you're Canterlot High's chief disciplinarian."

"And?"

"Students tend to scatter when they hear your voice."

"As they should!"

Though short-lived, the two dared to relieve the mounting pressures of their strenuous evening with a warm chuckle. In all seriousness, Celestia resumed,

"What of her friends, Snips and Snails?"

"With all due respect, sister," scoffed the vice principal. "I would hardly consider using the word 'friends' to describe that relationship, if you can even call it that."

Celestia cleared her throat with authority, ignoring the pessimistic air upon her sister's voice.

"Snips and Snails are taken care of." Luna sighed.

"Nothing too harsh, I hope," questioned Celestia, arching an eyebrow of her own.

"Rest assured, the weight of their punishment measures far less than the crimes committed by them and their ringleader."

Again, the two exchanged awkward glances, rendered speechless by yet another reminder of what took place. As she fidgeted nervously in the dark, Luna looked down at her watch and this time, it was she who ceased the quiet.

"The midnight curfew is approaching. Let us continue the search," she advised, rising from her chair. "Further questions can wait until she is safe."

"Right," the hesitant Celestia agreed.

"In the meantime, I will assist the staff with the closing ceremonies and escort the rest of the students out."

"'The rest of the students?'" quoted the confused principal.

"You did not know? Princess Twilight departed early."

"Oh," Celestia sank.

"Forgive me for not mentioning it earlier," Luna apologized. "I thought you knew."

"It's okay. I really enjoyed having her here as a student. It's just a shame to see her go."

"Perchance she had somewhere to be? She is a princess, after all, and quite a peculiar one at that."

"And since when did you become such an expert on the dos and don'ts of royalty?" Celestia asked playfully.

"I happen to enjoy the occasional fairy tale or two," the red-faced vice principal admitted.

Giggling softly, Celestia then reached over to a messy clipboard, her fingers fumbling through the clamped assortment of papers until she stopped on one particular document titled, _Fall Formal Princess Ballot_. As she caressed the chicken-scratched name of the foreign princess, a soft smile graced the principal's rose-colored lips.

"She was pretty special, wasn't she?"

"Yes," Luna nodded. "Quite."

Scribbled just above Princess Twilight's make-do signature was one other and when Celestia's timid eyes lifted to the orange glare of calligraphic curls, guilt strummed her heart.

"I should go," was all Luna could say.

As the dark-plumed vice principal rose to exit the office, Celestia could not help but admire her sister. Even in the most troubling of times, Luna's courage never waned and much like the cosmic entity she was named after, seemed to glow brighter when things became dark. Alas, such a time had befallen them and Celestia needed that courageous light more than ever.

"Luna?"

The vice principal turned to meet the eyes of her sister once again.

"What exactly did happen tonight?"

Luna swallowed hard, her throat flashing in the moonlight.

"I am not sure."

"I mean, you saw them, too, right? Those lights…and then those…those creatures? Is it really possible for one little girl to-"

"As I said," Luna interrupted politely. "For now, questions of that nature can wait."

Celestia nodded.

"Do not fret, my sister," Luna comforted with a smile as gentle as the cradle of a crescent moon. "We will find her."

"Thank you, Luna."

Once the office door clicked shut, Celestia sank into her chair, her violet eyes glistening as they fell upon that cursed red button of the intercom before her.

As the figurehead of Canterlot High, Celestia was not afforded the luxury of allowing certain feelings to surface. Panic, anger, even sadness all had their place. But there in the confines of her office, Celestia hid from the eyes of those who called her 'leader' to bask in the bittersweet freedom of questioning herself as such.

How could she be so irresponsible? Until now, the most unspeakable purpose Celestia ever had for the machine was in summoning troublemakers to accompany Lunch Supervisor Granny Smith for cafeteria duty. Never in a millennium would she have ever imagined using it to track down a student who, despite Celestia's own stubborn denial, could very well be just as she feared - missing. And although fear revealed its face in many forms that night, none filled her with as much dread as that thought.

Wiping the moisture from her eyes, Celestia straightened up and leaned towards the machine before a silent wish escaped her quivering lips,

"Please," the principal prayed, gripping the sides of the intercom. "Please be okay."

Finally, she took a deep breath, activated the device and into the microphone began to announce,

_ "Sunset Shimmer,_

_ "If you are still within the school, please report to my office immediately."_

With all due respect to their benevolent principal, the students and staff of Canterlot High met the target of Celestia's announcement with jeers, sneers and rekindled fears.

* * *

Meanwhile, much to the chagrin of a spider forced to abandon its squirming meal, the principal's announcement droned through the cobwebbed speakers of a certain forgotten corridor. Suffering countless semesters of neglect, the space had all but succumbed to the unforgiving hands of time and superstition. Urban myths of hauntings and chilling catastrophes kept many a student at bay from those halls washed in shadow and dust.

All…except one.

Deep in the darkest corner of a long-lost lavatory trembled an adolescent wrapped in a cocoon of misery and pain.

Her tears and strength spent, the broken mind of the young girl begged for relief as a torrent of terrifying thoughts raged inside her. As much as she yearned to forget the foul events that transpired that night, the scars left behind were all too fresh for her fractured spirit to ignore. In details more vivid than she ever cared to relive, the terrified teenager struggled to reassemble the pieces of her shattered subconscious.

Blankly she stared into the void of her makeshift asylum as her mind's eye snatched her away to that unspeakable once-upon-a-time. A time whereupon the ring of burns that singed her hands rested a glittering tiara, that beautiful diadem imbued with a power she once coveted more than anything else in this world and her own.

Every chuckle and wrinkle lined with sinister intent, her former self lifted the stolen treasure in triumph, allowing the moon above to cast its envious glow upon the tiara's unrivaled beauty. But once the crest graced her fiery mane, the girl's maniacal bliss quickly turned to raw fright.

Like a supernatural serpent, a violent vortex of dark sorcery erupted from the crown and ensnared her. Weightlessness, then overwhelming agony as every atom of her being seared relentlessly within the ethereal tempest that ravaged her. Such was the ruthless heat of that cursed cascade that her tears turned to dust, while every iota of flesh and bone twisted and forged into something more sinister. Drowning in fury and consumed by rage, the child's screams faded into an otherworldy howl as the last fragment of her will surrendered, and then…

…oblivion.

Conscious mind pitted against terrible nightmare as the troubled teenager fought to escape that horrible reverie. She kneaded the plum of her neck until a burning sensation suddenly filled her throat and when the bile threatened to rise, she clasped a hand over her mouth and leapt over to the nearest wastebasket.

When she was through, the breathless teenager fumbled for the sink, desperate to cleanse her face of heat and grime. But even the selfish faucet denied her relief and into the musty basin the cursing youth expelled what lingered of the vile taste from her tongue in return. Shaken from her momentary anger, she glanced up to find her drab reflection staring back from its cracked domain.

Everything - from the jacket that formerly heralded her menacing presence like a dark cloud to the sun-embellished garb underneath – was in shreds. Her hair, once well-coiffed with the brightest flames, willow'd in a tangled mass over her face smudged with soot. Stains of the girl's melancholy sopped her cheeks with salted wet, glistening from the dazed turquoises of her eyes past the parting of her chapped lips.

Before the accident, the teenager counted upon her reflection to show what she and others had always known her to be.

Beautiful. Confident. Powerful. Fearsome.

Even after transcending into the human world, those qualities remained true, for the youth fought to keep them that way. And though she once cherished the freedom that two-legged form granted her, she could think of no pure delight, no happy moment that came to pass since shaking free from the shackles of her homeland.

Together, the adolescent and her mirrored self bookmarked several strands of goldenrod-crimson hair behind an ear. Despite the shadows thickening the room, it was the first time she caught a proper glimpse of what she was, what she had always been and yet, was too blind by her own proud limelight to see before.

Horrible. Broken. Weak. Afraid.

There in the darkness, the girl and her copycat locked eyes until a stubborn glow of dying light flickered twice, upon which the reflection blinked and asked,

_"What have you done?"_

Armed with what little remained of her rationality, the young girl massaged the delusion away from her eyes.

Just a trick of the light, she thought. Nothing more.

But upon opening them again, her glassy twin retained a firm-lipped, furrow-browed expression that was not her own. Was she dreaming? Was she dead? If only she could have been so lucky. A strange circumstance indeed, and yet, the teenager felt a slight twinge of relief to have someone with her in that dark hour, even if it was her own meddling conscience.

"You think I wanted this?" the shaken teenager replied. "If I had known this was going to happen, I never would've—"

_ "And how exactly did you think this was going to end…,_

_ "…Sunset Shimmer?"_

It was an inquiry the young girl was ill-prepared to answer. Instead, shame took Sunset by the chin and led her away.

_ "To bring a crown jewel - an Element of Harmony no less – here, without considering the circumstances…_

_ "…A unicorn should've known better."_

The icy tip of those words harpooned right through Sunset's heart, reeling her attention back to the haunted glass.

"I AM a unicorn!" she cried, stomping her foot in a manner her true four-legged self would have.

_"Then why?"_ asked the reflection, tears gleaming in her eyes. _"Just what were you trying to prove anyway?"_

That her destiny encompassed something well-beyond the endless studying of books. That she deserved a greater title than that of 'Prized Pupil'. That her magical potential could far surpass the power of any deity of Equestria.

But above all else, that even a young unicorn such as herself was ready to do just about anything to get what she wanted. Even if that anything meant enduring a self-exile of thirty moons and trading her equine figure for a human one.

Still, the higher Sunset piled her former ambitions, the more difficult they were to stomach. All things considered, nothing seemed to justify the malicious actions of her past. Not running away. Not that two-legged body. Not the pain of others and certainly not thieving the Element of Magic from its rightful bearer for her own gain.

Rather than confess to the murky motives that brought shadow down upon her, she shook the devils from her shoulders again and answered,

"Who cares? It's over."

_"Is it?"_

"Look," Sunset sighed. "Twilight got her tiara back, didn't she? When she goes back to Equestria, everything will be as it was and it'll be like nothing ever happened."

_ "And you?"_

Sunset swallowed hard before replying,

"You're looking at it."

What 'it' entailed was a fate that involved neither humans nor the four-legged denizens of Sunset's homeworld. In her mind, there was no dilemma. In lieu of suffering the inevitable consequences of her crimes in either dimension, she would seal herself away in that dark room forever, until she and the stories of her wrongdoings fade into just that - terrible fairytales upon the many plaguing her already infamous hideout and name.

Beneath the thick web of lies that suffocated her conscience, Sunset knew she deserved far worse and her heart sickened with that knowledge. To escape the gavels of judgment by inflicting her own verdict was another offense in and of itself. Having lived as a student in both worlds, she knew what sort of fates awaited criminals like her. She was also wise enough to realize that never in a million years would she ever be prepared to face the consequences of what she had done.

If only she still possessed her magic. She imagined how easy it would have been for her true body to just disappear, to teleport miles away and leave all troubles behind. But the natural laws of that realm governed by two-leggeds did not allow it, for magic – at least, the kind she was blessed with - did not exist there. Thusly, efforts to perform such an average spell like teleportation was futile, forcing the youngster to take the only course of action left to her.

_"You can't be serious,"_ gasped the teenager's twin. _"This isn't you. You're not thinking straight."_

"For the first time in my life," the weight of Sunset's resolve rested heavily upon her. "I am."

Back and forth, the youth and her conscience continued their moral tug-of-war over the mud of her soul. Though they mimicked each other in action, their words could not have been more divided.

_"Wait,"_ the light of the young girl's conscience burned annoyingly bright. _"There's got to be another way."_

"There isn't."

_ "Maybe…maybe you can fix this."_

"I can't!"

A brief interlude of silence, and then,

_"You're right,"_ replied the reflection. _"You can't. Not while you're holed up in here anyway."_

"You mean..."

Sunset looked over her shoulder toward the lavatory's exit, the buzz of escape tickling her mind.

"No," she shooed the absurd idea away and scoffed, "No way."

_ "Why not? It beats your idea, at least. Besides, it's the only way you can make everything right."_

"You actually want me to go out…there? After—"

Certain dark memories bubbled to the surface of Sunset's psyche, but she refused to yield to them. She couldn't. Not yet.

"Are you insane?" she continued, her eyes mad with disbelief. "That's suicide!"

_"And what do you call this?"_

"This is different."

_ "How?"_

"IT JUST IS, OKAY?!"

Frustration tightened its grip on the girl. What delight did her conscience take in chastising her so? To shape her own doom by living out the remainder of her days in that dark pit of despair - was that so wrong?

_ "You're forgetting one thing."_

Patience escaped through Sunset's nostrils as she reluctantly indulged the other voice once again.

_ "Despite what you've done here, you're still a child - a missing child. Hide all you want, anywhere you want. But it's only a matter of time before they find you."_

"Don't you get it?" the girl sighed. "No one's going to come looking for someone like me."

_ "Not even 'Mother'?"_

Sunset's stifled cry shattered the room's deafening silence. In her smothered anguish, she damned her conscience for reminding her of the emerald-eyed, dawn-hued woman with the burgundy curls. Though the oblivious human was not her real mother, Sunset had lived with her long enough to care for her as such. Never to go back would mean robbing the woman of her daughter for the second time. But as much as it pained Sunset to do so, she refused to spare second thoughts for a parent that was not her own.

"When she realizes that I'm not really her daughter…it won't matter anymore."

At that, Sunset embraced herself tightly in a cage of feigned comfort and abandoned the glare of her mirrored twin. For a moment, she dared to ponder her decision once more and as she did, a surge of déjà vu swept over her. Was she doing the right thing? How many would she hurt in running away? How many would suffer if she didn't?

As the somber Sunset made her way to a softly lit corner, moonlight lifted her gaze to a solitary window, the shadows of its bars lining her face.

"If I step one hoof back home," she whispered to herself. "I'll be locked up in Tartarus forever.

"But…if I stay here…"

_ "For once, Sunset, try to think about someone and somepony other than yourself."_

Shame. Patience. Sanity.

Whatever restraint stoppered the fury of Sunset Shimmer up until that point finally snapped. Having had her fill of this illusionary interrogation, the incensed teenager charged towards the mirror again.

"Who are you?" she demanded, the dying bulb flickering madly overhead and igniting her eyes like green daggers.

_ "Now, that's a silly question, isn't it? I am you and you are me."_

"Enough with the games! Why am I even talking to you? You're just a reflection!"

_ "Why are you talking to me, indeed? You should be out there, amending your crimes and atoning for your sins."_

"Don't tell me what to do!" Sunset barked, slamming her fist into the cracked wall with a force that was almost inhuman. "As far as I'm concerned, you caused this!"

_ "Listen to yourself, Sunset!"_

"Not anymore," Sunset growled. "Everything was just fine until you came along."

_"Was it?"_ the doppelganger replied. _"Ask yourself, who stole the Element of Magic?"_

"You can't steal what should've been yours to begin with."

_ "Who ran away from Equestria?"_

"That was Celestia's fault! She was holding me back!"

_ "Who betrayed Princess Celestia?"_

Alive with the very rage that flared within her, Sunset whirled around, wielding yet another excuse upon her tongue. But she held it, for in place of her cursed likeness was the downtrodden image of a fiery-mane'd, golden unicorn. From eyes just as blue-green, the girl's forgotten self stared back and as a fresh tear streamed down their cheeks, the paned pony uttered,

_ "Exactly."_

Boiling, the offended Sunset shook the sight of her true self out of her head and stomped towards her enemy.

"That's it," she seethed. "I've had enough of this."

_ "What are you doing?"_

"Something I should've done a long time ago…"

Unable to endure the onslaught of her conscience any longer, the hotheaded youth fumbled wildly beneath the cracked basin in search of a tangible end to her torture. When her fingertips brushed against a loose brick, she rose swiftly, brandishing her weapon to silence the illusion indefinitely; only to be stunned by the sudden horror before her.

Swallowed by shadow was the space where her copycat's eyes once were. Only the thin slivers of her irises remained, burning like turquoise fires in the dark recesses that enveloped them like a furnace.

_ "If this is what you really want,"_ the reflection growled sorrowfully. _"Then so be it."_

An unearthly cry yanked the reflection's head back, its freshly fanged jaws flashing and gnashing like a foaming hound's. Eyes devoid of soul rolled wildly in dark sockets as the creature's mangy mane of fading crimson and tarnished gold erupted into a raging pyre. As buttercup-hued flesh singed with redness, fingers curled into grotesque talons and night-black wings tore from its arched back, the monstrosity in the mirror shrieked loudly and lunged forward!

Sheer terror threw the teenager back against a paint-stripped wall and held her there. Though many a dark creature haunted the tomes of her former bestiary studies, no hydra, chimera or basilisk compared to the salivating beast that glared hungrily at her from its hell-rusted realm. Afraid she may go mad from the terrifying visage alone, Sunset averted her eyes and clenched them tight, wishing with every remnant of willpower left within her that the creature would disappear.

But the beast would not be denied.

Wave after deviant wave, visions of the demon's destruction struck the girl, each painful blow thick with hellish crime. Through burning eyes, she watched helplessly as her dark magic forged nightmarish minions from the innocents scurrying over the black lake of her shadow.

Then came the screams.

Subliminal shrieks and fleeing bodies fell Sunset to her knees like mental stones casted in the dark, her mind overflowing with flash floods of grisly green as deluges of debris crashed down around her. To her horror, she felt her claws become hot as they conjured a ball of flame and in a fit of laughter dripping with malice, hurled it at a defenseless Princess Twilight.

Before the fireball reached its target, Sunset ripped herself out of the void and back to the present state of her own nightmare.

_"Surprise!"_ the creature hissed.

"No…," Sunset cowered, her eyes exploding with horror. "This isn't-! You're supposed to be—"

_"—destroyed? Caput? Gone? Bye-bye?_

_ "Sadly, yes, courtesy of that pesky princess and the Elements of Harmony. But only in a manner of speaking."_

"I don't understand…!"

_"Spoiler Alert,"_ the demon smirked coyly. _"As long as you keep beating yourself up, I'll always be around to horseback on that filthy little conscience of yours. Giddyup!"_

No matter how tight Sunset clenched her eyes or which way she turned, the dark presence knew no bounds. Relentless in its cruel subliminal torture, it haunted every pane of glass and blink of an eye with its cackling visage.

_"Nice digs!"_ the creature grinned as its burning eyes rolled about the room. _"Perfect for a little delinquent such as yourself!"_

"This isn't real! You're not real! Go away!"

_ "Ha! Very funny…"_

Tearing herself away from the wall, Sunset attempted to flee that prison until,

_"Since you have such a…vivid memory,"_ the monster's voice echoed. _"Perhaps you can recall the words a certain princess said tonight?"_

Just then, the voice of Twilight Sparkle struck like lightning within Sunset's mind,

_"You've shown everyone who you really are!_

_ You've shown them what is in your heart!"_

The memory of the princess' troubling words rattled the adolescent's fragile core. As if the door was red hot, Sunset's fingers flinched from its surface while horror tightened its hold over her.

"They saw-No!" Sunset cried, grabbing her head as the claws of truth and fallacy tore her apart. "I'm a unicorn! A unicorn!"

_ "Wrong. A unicorn would've known better._

_ "That's why you're better off staying here, where you can't hurt or bother anyone ever again."_

"Just leave me alone!"

_"Oh, but you are alone. So very alone."_

Of all that was exchanged between her and the monster, this was the one truth Sunset feared to embrace the most. Was there really no one looking for her? Did anyone notice that she was gone? Did anyone care?

"Aww," the demon hushed playfully. _"There, there. Why the long face, Sunset Shimmer? This is what you wanted, isn't it?"_

_ "Or maybe, you're just refusing to accept how much damage you really caused._

_ "Far be it for me not to refresh your memory!"_

"Don't!"

Every accusation, every reminder, every possible repercussion to her crimes weighed upon Sunset's fragile spirit like a sack of bricks, shattering a piece of her by the second.

_ "For thirty moons, you lied._

_ "For thirty moons, you cheated._

_ "For thirty moons, you trampled on all those who stood in your way."_

"Stop…please, just stop it!" Sunset was shaking, trapped beneath the sharpened pendulum of her crimes.

_ "And let's not forget your other little escapades back in Equestria, shall we?"_

_ "Betraying Princess Celestia? Running away from home?_

_ "Or how about stealing an Element of Harmony and not only exposing magic, but putting all of Equestria at risk?_

_ "Honestly,_" the demonic doppelganger resumed with a scoff. _"Do you really think that everyone is just going to forget what you did?"_

"I'm sorry!" the youth wailed. "What do you want me to do? Tell me! I'll do anything!"

_"Too late for that now, Sunset._

_ "It doesn't matter anymore, remember?"_ the creature reminded. _"I heard it straight from the pony's mouth._

_ "What's the point in even trying? They're never going to forgive you anyway...especially 'Mother'."_

Sunset's head shot up. For one brief moment, the youth cast her terror aside and welcomed wrath into her heart once more.

_"Such a shame, really,"_ sighed the demon._ "That we won't get to see the look on her face once she finds out what you did."_

"You monster!"

_"I know you are. But what am I?"_

Exhausted, Sunset backed into a corner in a fit of surrender.

_"You were right all along, you know? This is what you really deserve._

_ "This is how you will always be remembered…_

_ "…this is where you shall remain, forever alone with no one and nopony to blame…_

_ "…but yourself!"_

Forever held captive by fear and doubt, to fester in the memory of her guilt with any hope of salvation beyond her reach. All too late she realized it was not the end she wanted. All she wished for was solitude, eternal isolation from those she brought pain down upon. With nowhere and nothing left to her, Sunset fell to her knees and trembled.

Her throat was dry. Wet was her brow.

_THUMP-thump-THUMP-thump-THUMP-thump-THUMP-thump!_

Her heart pounded. Her chest was taut. The walls of her cursed prison swam and shrank. The very air left and struck her at the same time. Claustrophobia wrung her shaken body, then panic. She had no choice. Not anymore. She had to get out.

_Get out!_

With minutes gnawing at her broken heels and seconds breathing down her neck, the frightened youth burst from her shadowed sanctuary and tore through the darkened halls of Canterlot High, cursing herself all the while.

How could she be so foolish? What possessed her to stray so far from the only means out of this hellish nightmare? The horrible possibilities lunged at her from the shadows as she toppled down never-ending flights of stairs, every painful landing ripping through her already-battered body.

Up.

Down.

Left.

Right.

Forward.

Backward.

All direction and coordination was lost to the shadow-blind Sunset. Yanked solely by the tightened leash of her recollection, the panicked teenager careened blindly through the university's passageways. While every ligament of her bruised legs stretched and throbbed with fatigue, the minute hand's mercy pressed her onward. Her paled face stained with sweat and tears, she cried out breathlessly. How the frightened child needed the sanctuary of her world then.

Before long, the darkness that veiled her vision shifted from black to violet while her senses heeded the evening breeze blowing through her matted hair.

She was close.

In a final burst of speed, she sped through a moonlit foyer as fast as her lashed legs could carry her. Over the jagged jaws of debris she flew, her starlit eyes welling with tears, fixated on the bright circular blur of white light widening just ahead like open arms.

Suddenly, Sunset's heart leapt to her throat when she lost her footing over a slope of sediment!

All at once, her senses and reflexes ripped through her. Stumbling, she lunged out wildly for something, anything to break her fall. When what felt like a cold, metallic branch graced the teenager's desperate fingertips, she grabbed hold of it. Bested by momentum, she lost her grip and slid toward the yawning horizon of a canyon ahead! Another steel bar appeared within reach and this time, Sunset wrapped every ligament around it, clinging for dear life. Unable to withstand the weight, the weakened bar began to loosen from the earth. But before gravity could thrust her down to her doom, Sunset pushed off the crater's cragged edge and scratched her way back up to the demised stairway.

Not until she was far enough away did she glance back at the chasm, that still-smoldering site of her demonic defeat. Wild-eyed, the breathless teenager barely had a moment to compose herself before,

_SLAM!_

The unmistakable sound of a door shutting nearby caused Sunset to jump out of her freshly-scratched skin and when a pair of familiar figures emerged from the building's side, she shrank out of sight. Stealthy as a shadow, she crawled up to the school's collapsed entrance and dipped behind a mound of debris before peering back towards the grounds.

There, with her canine companion in tow, was Princess Celestia's star student, wielder of the Element of Magic, and the one whose power spelled the end of Sunset Shimmer's tyranny - Princess Twilight Sparkle, glittering as she glided across the schoolyard towards the equine statue.

Rearing proudly to the sky, the stallion of stone protected a primordial secret beneath its marbled hooves. Unbeknownst to the native two-legged creatures of this world, a hushed enchantment would descend upon the statue once every thirty moons, forming a dimensional bridge between the human world and the realm of Equestria. In so doing, the portal would alter the physical form of any creature that passed through its ethereal doorway…

…a transition that was all too familiar to Sunset Shimmer and the pair of Equestrian natives that loitered beside it.

Shrouded by the cold darkness, the shivering Sunset was trapped between the gauntlet of two evils, neither one the lesser or greater of the other. Just over her shoulder loomed the first, in the fragmented form of Canterlot High School, where so many had suffered at the hands of her bullying and quest for power. Should she remain there, all those she had ever hurt would no doubt seek to exact revenge upon her.

A dusty gale snatched Sunset's attention to the site of her second course. She could return to Equestria as a traitorous prisoner with Princess Twilight, knowing full well that the penalty for high treason and capital theft was to be thrown before the tripled maws of the beast Cerberus.

_Maybe it won't be as bad as you think it'll be,_ she tried telling herself. _Maybe they'll give you a chance to explain things._

_ Yeah, right,_ she argued. _You think they'll believe anything you have to say now, let alone hear it? You'll just give them even more reason to lock you up. They'll think you're crazy!_

_ Right, you can't stay. You have to go back to Equestria. At least you'll be safe there. Celestia will know what to do._

_ Yeah. Punish you for good._

The pressures of frustration choking her heart, Sunset pounded her fist against the wall. From the looming shadows of her dilemma, she painfully contemplated her next move.

Just then, the glint of Princess Twilight's diadem caught Sunset's eyes and the dark whisper of temptation hushed over her heart once more.

There was still time.

Even as the ever-ascending moon threatened to displace her again, its rays illuminated a third and final path – overwhelm the princess, seize the enchanted relic and before the stroke of midnight, push her royal highness through the portal, displacing her from the human world while Sunset, armed with arcane power, remained within it. While the very thought of repeating such an act disgusted her, the lure of protecting herself against all potential enemies with the diadem's magic proved to be stronger.

After all, what would Twilight have done had their positions been reversed? Surely, it was not in a princess' heart to leave a fellow citizen of her world behind, only to be devoured by the insatiable desires of human curiosity and greed, not when Twilight was just as guilty for exposing her magic.

Though Sunset's aching muscles twitched to act, she stayed her ground. She gazed at the destruction strewn about her and trembled at what could have been had the princess not used her magic to stop her. Were it not for Princess Twilight, the defeated teenager would still be trapped within that terrible manifestation of her own darkness and very well could have gone on to wreak even more havoc across that innocent dimension. As much as it pained her to admit it, Sunset was in the princess' debt.

Still, she had no choice, for in her murkiest hour, the only shred of a chance left to her own survival was to commit the unthinkable once again. So as to cast most of the blame for her actions elsewhere, Sunset dared to portion her guilt amongst those who should have been present to bid the vulnerable princess farewell, those five who claimed to call themselves 'friends' and yet, were nowhere to be found.

Her heart alight with what she prayed was not false hope, Sunset rose to her feet.

_You can do this, Sunset Shimmer, the nerve-racked teenager repeated to herself._

_ It'll be no different than last time._

_ All you have to do to change your fate…_

_ …is to give a little shove._

Just as the highest star graced the moon's tip, the sparkle of the adorned princess shifting her stance lit a flame in Sunset's eyes. If the fiery-haired adolescent truly was to go in for the attack, then that was the time. Her knees cracking into a painful lunge, Sunset honed in on the princess' circlet like a tigress, eyes burning with visceral intent as she prepared for the opportune moment to strike.

The creases of her furrowed brow glistened with sweat. Bent to charge, her fingers and toes dug into stone. She filled her sore lungs with courage and then…

…suddenly, a choir of shouts shattered the still air!

_What are you waiting for?_, she panicked. _Hurry up! Do it! Now!_

But Sunset did not budge.

Instead, her body recoiled from that of a stalking predator to a shriveled mass of doomed prey. Behind the demolished wall the young girl cowered again, certain that she had disappeared from sight before the rioters saw her. But in her paranoia, she felt the stampede of footsteps quake the ground beneath her. By the second, the commotion crescendo'd and ice cold panic sunk its claws even deeper into Sunset's heart.

Had the humans spotted her? Did they catch the return of that dark desire looming in her eyes? How much longer before they reached her and dragged her away to the cold confines of their prisons? Would their bloodthirsty appetites deprived of justice even wait that long?

Succumbing to a fate only her twisted imagination could conjure, Sunset tightened her arms around herself and buried her head as she prepared for the absolute worst.

Seconds crawled by like years as the trembling teenager awaited her impending doom. To her surprise, neither pain nor torture came. Confused, she then unshielded her ears to listen, but the flock of cries had faded into something sweeter. As a cool breeze carried the strange yet welcome sound of light laughter and familiar-voiced chitchat through a tress of her blazing hair, Sunset rose from the collapsed debris and beheld a strange sight indeed.

Dumbfounded, the fiery-haired teenager watched as a quintuplet of past acquaintances wrapped Princess Twilight and her collared beast in a deep embrace. Alight with all the colors of a rainbow, the girls and their pup raised their spirits high, the very air that surrounded them rippling with that strange power called 'friendship'. Though she understood nothing of this peculiar magic, Sunset recalled it was that same aura which pulled her from the talons of the fire-wielding beast inside her.

Even as the celestial orb climbed into its blanket of stars, Sunset's curiosity peaked even higher. With the midnight hour threatening to seal the portal at any moment, why would the princess risk enduring a self-exile of thirty moons for such a gesture? To substitute farewell formalities for urgency at a time like this was absolutely ludicrous.

Those five girls, why did fear not overtake them? After all, they were only human and as such, had never experienced the likes of magic, true magic, until that very night. To witness a fellow student transforming into a winged beast and wielding a myriad of hellish attacks would have driven any sane two-legged into a foaming frenzy.

As irrational as they were to interfere in her blind battle against the princess, Sunset would be a greater fool not to recognize that their loyalty to Twilight did not possess its own magic. A force that ultimately defeated and, as ashamed as Sunset was to admit it, saved her. A power that gifted those girls with features not found amongst their own kind, like wings and pointed ears.

And yet, there they stood by the royal conjurer's side, unwavering and unafraid.

What force welcomed such kindness and generosity? What compelled them to raise their smiles and laughter to the heavens? What power was so true, so strong, so vast, that it can overlook the strangest, even the most supernatural of anomalies?

Then it hit her.

Though humbling, the weight of the broken youth's sudden revelation was anything but feeble. While laughter, love and light surrounded Twilight, the only companions left to Sunset were darkness, destruction and dust. Beaten by many years of cold and unforgiving circumstances, her body ached to bask in even a smidgeon of the warmth that emanated from Her Highness and the allies around her. So powerful was their rapturous bliss that the vanquished voyeur never noticed herself inching from the shadows, her heart playfully tugged by the wonderful allure of pure and unadulterated happiness.

Then, for the first time in the entirety of both lives, she felt warm and light. Beneath the darkness that caged her heart, something she had never felt before began to break free. By some strange miracle, she dared to wonder if someday…

…maybe…just maybe…

…she would ever be worthy of feeling that same glow.

_So that's it._

_ After all this time, that's what you wanted?_

She may as well have screamed her heart's desire aloud, for at that moment, the princess and her company turned their attention towards Sunset - an unexpected gesture that shook the startled youth out of her short-lived epiphany and into the shadows.

Far too often had she seen those expressions before and as quickly as it came, that long-forgotten fragment of light sank beneath the abyss of her beaten confidence once more. Disappointment. Sorrow. Pain. Anger. Was that all she would ever be capable of instilling within others? Were the figures before her the only ones worthy of wielding that mysterious force known as 'friendship'?

Y_ou can't be serious,_ she laughed. _Take a look at Princess Twilight._

Reluctantly, Sunset obeyed.

_Do you honestly think that you could ever compare to somepony as radiant, somepony as powerful, somepony as special as her?_

_ After everything you've done, who would ever want to be your friend?_

Lost in the mental marsh of her own doubt, Sunset barely noticed the vice principal's arrival. As Luna armed the dismayed delinquent with a cement trowel, the sheepish child looked over to find the pair of her former minions tripping and struggling to repair the damaged wall all on their clumsy lonesome. As they fired blanks of angry stares and whispers, Sunset winced at the circumstances she forced upon them and her heart sunk another fathom.

_Time to face facts, Sunset Shimmer._

_ There's no going back now._

_ You've caused so much damage._

_ And for that, no one and no pony will ever, ever…_

"…forgive me."

Numb with guilt and more grief than she ever had to bear, Sunset finally surrendered to the black depths of her murky conscience. Blankly she gazed across the schoolyard, her turquoise eyes twinkling with tears as she watched Twilight and her canine turn and march towards the portal

In a final effort to spare herself from the scourge of her punishment, Sunset ventured to defy Fate once more.

"Please," she whispered aloud, hoping her desperate plea would somehow reach the faraway princess. "Don't leave me here."

But it was not to be. For a swift flash of light later, the princess and her pet stepped through the shrinking portal and vanished forever.

_ Clunk!_

From Sunset's loosened grip the trowel slipped, crashing to the ground with an air-shattering echo. At that moment, whatever fragment remained of Sunset's spirits was crushed, for the merciless moon had ascended to its highest peak and sealed the youth's fate.

Doomed to suffer another thirty moons away from the world she called home, Sunset Shimmer crumbled beneath the weight of her regret and slumped to the ground. Against the broken wall she contorted in despair, buried her face in guilt-stained hands and wept while Luna, without even a second glance, tread back from whence she came.


End file.
